A/N: Since my first story received such positive feedback (thank you everyone who reviewed!), I've decided to start posting this story as well. It's going to be a long, slow burn this time. A multi-chapter AU/AH Klaroline. I'm a few chapters ahead at the moment and will try my best to keep it that way. I plan to post a chapter a week, unless life gets crazy and I can't keep up the pace.

Thank you very much to my beta for all her hard work: semi colons are evil and I'm glad to have someone who can tame them! As per usual, TVD does not belong to me, only the plot of this story does.

Just Another Face in the Crowd

Chapter 1

Caroline stepped off the train, squeezing her way between the bodies of hurried New Yorkers. The morning rush had packed the subway station with impatient commuters, and Caroline was thankful to get back above ground and feel the sunlight on her face. She took a moment to pause: looking up at the towering high rises, smelling car exhaust mixed with coffee wafting from the café nearby. The pulse of the city hummed through her body.

Breathing deeply she straightened her blazer, smoothed her skirt and held her head high, shoulders back.

'You can do this Caroline.' She thought to herself.

It was just a job interview after all. An important job interview, now that her initial plan had fallen through. Having left the Art Museum of Chicago a few weeks ago for an opportunity to work in New York City, she had been more than slightly disappointed to find she had not gotten the job she had interviewed for at the Museum of Modern Art. MoMA's reputation as one of the most cutting edge art museums in the world had really appealed to her, even if she personally preferred more classical pieces. So here she was, in her best outfit: black pencil skirt, white silk blouse with a bow at the neck, burgundy blazer, and killer black heels. Her hair was up in a tight bun and she had oval shaped glasses perched on her nose. She looked professional, accomplished, controlled and feminine. It was time to tackle 'Plan B': Mikealson's Auction House.

When things had fallen through at with MoMA, Caroline had been determined to find something, anything, in New York. Going back to Chicago was not an option. Thankfully for Caroline three things were in her favour 1) the art and antiquities world was small, 2) Caroline had good connections who kept her in the loop and, 3) Mikaelson's Auction House had an unorthodox interview process.

Mikaelson's was a relatively new auction house, having come into prominence firstly in England about 30 years ago and branching out stateside at the turn of the millennium. Despite being upstarts in the auction house world, which generally loved the establishment and shunned anything that disrupted the status quo, Mikaelson's had flourished. They were known for being ruthlessly competitive in finding the most unique and valuable art and antiquities and for throwing lavish events to promote their upcoming auctions.

They were currently looking for an auction coordinator. Someone who decides which art and antiquities should be auctioned together and plans the events to promote the auctions. Caroline understood this position was very much behind the scenes. Mikaelson's was family owned and operated. The second generation Mikaelson's were the face of the company, particularly here in New York, but they relied on small team of employees to keep things running smoothly behind closed doors. As Caroline had no desire to be in the public eye, the position seemed like the perfect fit.

The interview process was one of the oddest things about the company. Caroline had heard rumours about it in the past, but this was the first time since she had started working in the art world that Mikaelson's had been hiring. They were known to be very selective and valued loyalty and longevity in their employees.

So here she was outside their New York office, about to attend her first ever, open call competitive interview. When Mikaelson's wanted a new employee, they quietly let the art and antiquities world know, through word of mouth alone, that they were looking, and when and where any interested parties should show up. Anyone who appeared to compete for the job would be considered, but had to pass a number of challenges first: a written test, a oral exam of the candidates ability to identify art and antiquities, and lastly, an interview with the head of the branch, which in New York was Elijah Mikaelson.

Caroline opened the door to Mikaelson's Auction House and confidently walked inside. She noted instantly that she was not the first to arrive, quickly counting four other candidates, although the women in the black mini skirt, low cut top, and six inch heels surely wasn't serious competition. She looked like an escort, not an art expert or an events planner.

Approaching the front desk, Caroline could feel the eyes of the other candidates on her back. She remained focused, looking straight ahead. A petite young woman with long straight black hair sat behind a large desk. She looked up as Caroline approached and smiled.

"Hello. Welcome to Mikaelson's Auction House. My name is Anna. Are you here for the interview?"

"Yes. I am." Caroline replied, meeting Anna's smile with one of her own.

"Wonderful!" Anna said, turning slightly to one side and grabbing an envelope and turning back to Caroline quickly. "Here is your package. Please look it over. It describes the schedule for the day and there are some forms we'd like you to fill out as well. We'll be starting at 9 am sharp. Can I get your name please?"

"Caroline James." Caroline answered, lowering her voice slightly. She was proud to hear how naturally the name rolled off her lips. Five years and she still worried someone would suspect she was lying. Not that she was technically lying, she had legally changed her name, but she still didn't feel like 'Caroline James'. She reached forward to take the envelope from Anna. "Thank you."

Caroline walked back toward the other candidates and sat down in the corner, as far away from the others as she could get. She opened the envelope and removed a small bound book and two loose pieces of paper. She quickly removed a pen from her purse and began filling out the forms. Once she'd completed that task she glanced at her watch, 8:45am, and began reading through the booklet.

At 9am sharp, Caroline heard the click of high heeled shoes walking into the room. A beautiful blonde in a sleek designer dress walked in with a smirking brown haired man at her side.

She stood in front of the group of candidates and looked them over slowly.

"My name is Rebekah Mikaelson, and this is my brother Kol. We'll be leading the interview process for the morning. Those of you who meet our standards this morning will be invited back this afternoon to speak with our older brother, and director of this branch, Elijah." She spoke smoothly in a slightly bored and condescending tone.

"And since I would prefer to never have to be at the office at this ungodly hour of the morning, I hope one of you proves worthy of being in our employ." Kol added, grinning mischievously.

Rebekah looked over at him and rolled her eyes, before turning back to address the group.

"Let's begin. Follow us through to the conference room."

"How are they doing?"

Rebekah turned to face her older brother, who was seated behind a sleek glass and metal desk, thumbing through the resumes of the days' candidates.

"Well that Tiffany girl was hopeless. I'm honestly not sure why she was even here…and in that outfit! It was appalling! Not surprisingly she didn't seem to understand half the written test and after watching her struggle for half an hour, I put her out of her misery and had Kol escort her out of the building."

"And the rest?" Elijah asked casually.

"Matthias and Viktor are not performing up to standard on the art identification, at least so far. The final three, Sarah, Caroline & Willem have potential. Although, Sarah barely scraped by on the written test, her essay was poorly constructed and I heard her muttering about 'not being in high school anymore' while she was writing." Rebekah reported.

"So, Willem and Caroline are the strongest contenders." Elijah said, looking up from the resumes in his hand to look Rebekah in the eye.

"Yes" Rebekah confirmed.

"As long as they both continue to perform well in their identification exam, invite them back this afternoon for an interview. If Sarah out performs one of them on the oral exam, schedule an interview for her as well." Elijah placed the resumes down on his desk. "That's all for now. I have to call father about the day so far and pass on the names on the top three candidates to Niklaus for background checks. I'll see you after lunch sister."

Klaus slammed the door of his office in the main London branch of Mikaelson's Auction House. He paced aggressively in front of his desk, trying to divert his thoughts from what he had heard while standing outside his father's office. His phone rang loudly, interrupting his angry thoughts.

"What?" He growled.

"Hello to you too, Niklaus." Elijah spoke smoothly. "I take it your day hasn't gone as planned?"

"To what do I owe this unwanted phone call, brother?"

"As you are perfectly aware, we are currently looking for a replacement for Antoine" Elijah replied.

"He was selling information to your biggest competitor. You can't possibly be upset at me for uncovering the backstabbing, traitorous little bastard in the act, can you? It is my duty to protect our family." Said Klaus, smugly. He finally stopped pacing and sat down behind his desk. "Why are you calling?"

"I was hoping to speak to father, but he isn't answering his phone…" Elijah began

"He's a little busy at the moment, fucking his secretary" Klaus interrupted.

"Niklaus…"

"Apologies brother, I temporarily forgot your willful disregard of Mikael's true nature. You know Elijah, ignoring his misdeeds does not make them go away." Klaus lashed out, his voice full of distain.

Elijah sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He looked over to a framed photograph sitting beside his computer. It was a formal family portrait, everyone carefully positioned, not one face smiling. Even Henrik, only a toddler, looked uncomfortable. Elijah would do anything to go back in time and make those faces smile.

"I'd like you to look over the top three candidates. I'll email you everything you need. It's just a preliminary check at this point." Elijah said, all business, determined to leave their ongoing disagreement about Mikael behind him. He and Klaus had never agreed on how they each reacted to Mikael and his actions, and they likely never would.

"I'll look into it right away. By the end of the day you'll have everything you need in your inbox." Klaus replied.

Klaus hung up the phone, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. His father's grunts and the secretary's overly enthusiastic words of encouragement still invaded his thoughts, and his disgust and loathing of Mikael simmered just below the surface.

However, Elijah was ever the calming presence in the Mikaelson family. And if he could not take away Klaus' dark mood, he did at least provide a distraction. Klaus sat up straight and turned to his computer.

It was time to do what he did best: sift through the lies and find all the secrets people thought they could hide.

"So Miss James, you have an excellent knowledge of art."

Caroline looked over the glass top desk toward Elijah Mikaelson, as he carefully leafed through a small packet of information, which she assumed contained her results from the morning's exams. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit and appeared every inch the man in command of a successful and lucrative New York business.

"Art is my passion," she confirmed, looking at him confidently as he raised his head to meet her gaze.

Caroline watched as he sat up straight in his office chair and faced her fully, leaning forward with his arms on his desk.

"And why should I hire you, Miss James? What can you do for my family and our business?" he said bluntly.

Caroline was surprised by Elijah's direct approach. Considering all the tests the candidates had been through and Elijah's formal attire, she'd expected him to go through her resume and test results one item at a time in great detail. He certainly wasn't wasting any time getting down to the nitty-gritty.

"Mr. Mikaelson, I'm young, unattached, and completely devoted to my work. You should hire me because I live and breathe art and antiquities. I put my whole self into my work. I have been planning events and parties since high school and no one is better at the little details than I am. None of the other candidates here today will commit themselves to your company the way I will."

If there was one thing Caroline could say with confidence, it was that work was her top priority. Honestly, as of late, it was her only priority. Anyone who had known Caroline in high school would never have believed she lacked a social life. And to be clear, Caroline's busy social calendar had continued for most of her undergrad experience in college. But things had changed. And though there were days she missed having a close knit group of friends, a party to go to every weekend, and meetings and committees to chair, she had been more than willing to trade it all for the security and anonymity for her current lifestyle.

"That's quite a promise Miss James." Elijah responded evenly, showing no outward reaction to Caroline's response.

Caroline smiled. "I'm aware I may seem over confident Mr. Mikaelson, but I know what I'm capable of. This position is an ideal fit for my expertise. And no offense to your previous employee, but hosting events and galas benefits from a woman's touch. I believe your client's will appreciate the added luxury and attention to detail I can provide to an auction, as well as my ability to put together a unique selection of art and antiquities for them to bid on." Caroline paused, glancing briefly at what must have been a photograph of the Mikaelson family on Elijah's desk. "I have no desire for the spotlight Mr. Mikaelson." She said softly, but firmly. "It would be my pleasure to do whatever I can to assist your family." Caroline finished, looking Elijah squarely in the eye.

Elijah stared at her and then looked briefly toward the photograph on his desk.

"I appreciate your consideration for my family." He turned his eyes back to Caroline. "I'll be reviewing everyone's tests scores. I will be honest; you are one of the strongest applicants. You'll hear from me personally, by the end of the week at the latest, in regards to whether you'll be filling the position."

Caroline sat crossed legged on the bed of her hotel room, slurping up the last of her ramen noodles. She was wearing her favourite grey sweat pants and a faded pink Miss Mystic Falls t-shirt. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun and her face was free of any make-up. Having spent the last few days hitting all the typical tourist traps in New York, she was pleasantly satisfied with herself, but also worn-out from her treks through various boroughs.

Putting down her now empty food container, Caroline glanced on the clock on the bedside table. 7:55pm, almost time.

Caroline got up from the bed and grabbed a small black lock box. Entering the security code quickly, she removed a cell phone. Glancing at the time again, Caroline began dialing.

"Caroline?" A soft voice said on the other end of the line. "Is that you?"

"Yes Mom, it's me." Caroline said with a smile, " Has anyone else ever called you at this number?" She teased lightly.

"We have to stay vigilant Caroline." Her mother said sternly.

"It's been five years Mom! Five years! At some point I want to be able to live my life again!" Caroline responded heatedly. Her anger faded quickly and she sighed. "I'm sorry Mom." She whispered.

"It's fine sweetie. If anyone can understand how frustrating this is, it's me. I've barely seen you for five years, we have to speak on disposable cell phones on arranged nights, and you have to find a new job, preferably in a new city, every year or two. This is not the life I envisioned you living Caroline." Liz Forbes answered honestly.

"Who could have possibly imagined this? My life has turned into a script for a ridiculous TV movie." Caroline groaned, lying back on the bed.

"Do you have any news on the job front?" her mother inquired, turning the conversation back to the present and trying to move beyond the mess they had been fighting against for the last 5 years.

"Yes!" Caroline cried excitedly, sitting up on the bed once more. "I heard back from Mikaelson's this morning. I got the job!"

"Congratulations sweetie! I knew you could do it."

Caroline smiled, hearing the smile in her mother's voice. She got up from the bed and began walking around the room, gesturing as she spoke.

"This job is just perfect for me mom. I get to party plan again. Not just for the occasional special event, like in Chicago, but regular social events for the elite of art and antiquities world. And you should have seen the art they had! It was incredible! Rembrandt, Pollack, Degas, their collection reviles the best museums in the country!" Caroline knew she was rambling, but she simply couldn't contain her enthusiasm.

"Sounds wonderful Caroline." Her mother said. "Do you think you'll have any trouble getting set up in New York? Do you need any money? I know the cost of living there is higher than Chicago." Liz asked her voice edged with concern.

"It will be fine mom. We planned for moves and expenses. Everything is in order." Caroline replied, understanding her mother's concerns, but also fully aware that her mother's small town sheriff salary didn't leave much room for luxuries.

"Caroline." Liz said seriously, "I want you to know how proud I am of you. Things have been hard…"

"Understatement of the century" Caroline interrupted.

"Yes, true. But you have handled everything with strength and determination. You are such an incredible woman Caroline."

"Thanks mom." Caroline managed to choke out. Breathing deeply, she composed herself before continuing. "I'll talk to you in a few days then, okay? I'll let you know how things go at work and when and where I get settled in the city."

"Talk to you in a few days. I love you Caroline"

"Love you too"

Caroline flopped back down on the bed of her hotel room and stared up at the ceiling. 'New York, New York. Here I come.'

A/N: Thanks for reading and please review! It is incredibly motivating to know people are reading what I write. It kinda blows my mind, thankfully not literally;)